AVAILABILITY AND EFFECTIVE USE OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AS DETERMINANT OF STUDENTS (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
In Nigeria as well as in other countries, education is perceived as a tool for socio-economic and political development and as such it is accorded the necessary attention.
This position is amplified in the Nigeria National Policy on Education (2006) which stated that education is an instrument per excellence for affecting national development.
The National Policy of Education (2006) added further that education shall continue to be highly rated in the national development plans because education is the most important instrument of change and that any fundamental change in the intellectual and social outlook of nay society has to be preceded by educational revolution.
Previous studies carried out by Jekayinka (2005), Suleiman Atiku (2006) Ajayi and Ayodele (2008), proved that adequate supply of instructional resources has significant effects on students performances and enhances the effectives of instructional delivery and supervision.
However, there seems to be in Nigerian school an alarming shortage and even complete absence of laboratory facilities. United Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) (2007), further stressed that monitoring of learning achievement, report on the available instructional materials and facilities in the 960 sample secondary schools across the country revealed. An National University Commission (NUC) cited by United Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) (2008) stated that academic and physical facilities were in the deplorable states with insufficient lecture theatres/halls, laboratories and so on.
Thus, one begin to wonder how some of these universities scale the accreditation hurdle. That was why Ijaiya (2009) observed that the quality of education being provided for the Nigeria – child has become a thing of concern and lamented on the rot in the educational system. Also, Adeyemi and Igbenewaka (2009) observed that mismatch between growing enrolment and provision of facilities especially in respect of seats for students lead to overcrowding. He added that overcrowding creates undue stress on available spaces and results in the creation of rowdy behaviours, hanging outside the classrooms and absence from activities around school premises. All this have negative effects on teaching and learning process.
A laboratory is a facility that provide controlled condition in which scientific or technology research, experiment may be performed (Igbenewaka (2009). Laboratories used for scientific research take many forms because of the differing requirements of specialist in the various field of science and engineering. A physics laboratory might contain a particles accelerator or vacuum chamber, while a metallurgy chamber laboratory could have apparatus for casting or refining metals or for testing their strength (Joshua, 2012).
Laboratory activities have long has a distinctive and central role in the science curriculum and science educators have suggested that many benefits accrue from engaging students in science laboratory activities (Hofstein and Lunetta, 2005; Hinetta et al., 2007). At the beginning of the twenty first century, we are entering a new era being scrutinized and new standards intended a new era being scrutinized and new standards intended to shape and rejuveriate science education are emerging (National Research Council, 2010). The National Science Education Standard (NRC, 2007) and also the 2016 project (AAAS, 2005) reaffirmed the conviction that inquiring in general and inquiring in the context of practical work in science education is central to the only for candidate show clear understanding of the problem in their working.
